U21S MATCH REPORT: CARDIFF CITY 1-4 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets comfortable victors in South Wales

2025-05-06T16:40:48.009Z

U21S MATCH REPORT: CARDIFF CITY 1-4 BURNLEY

Young Clarets comfortable victors in South Wales

2025-05-06T16:40:48.009Z

Young Clarets comfortable victors in South Wales

Burnley U21s finished their regular Professional Development League season with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Cardiff City on Tuesday afternoon.

Kamarni Ryan, Tommy McDermott, Tom Tweedy and Benji Wetshi were all on target as the young Clarets earned a 19th league win of the season in the South Wales sunshine.

There were four changes to the side that started last week’s Premier League Cup semi-final at Queens Park Rangers, with Lewis Forshaw keeping goal following the end of his loan at Lancaster City.

Joe Ashton returned at centre-back, with Basilio Socoliche and Ryan starting on the left and in the middle of the front three respectively at Cardiff City Stadium.

U21S MATCH REPORT: CARDIFF CITY 1-4 BURNLEY - Image 1

The hosts took a seventh-minute lead when right-back Will Spiers drove inside and picked out Tanatswa Nyakuhwa, who lifted the ball over Forshaw and into the bottom left corner.

Cardiff carried that momentum into the next quarter of an hour, with a trialist twice taking aim but firing wide from good positions.

Two Burnley goals in two minutes then turned the game on its head, and Ryan was first to strike.

Joe Bauress’ defence-splitting pass found Julien Vetro, and the winger squared for Ryan to finish confidently into the top left corner.

More good work from Bauress kick started the move for the second, before Welshman Tweedy teed up McDermott to convert from close range.

The Clarets twice came agonisingly close to a third before half-time, with Cardiff ‘keeper Luke Armstrong thwarting Bauress before Ryan scored but was flagged offside.

U21S MATCH REPORT: CARDIFF CITY 1-4 BURNLEY - Image 2

Manager Andy Farrell made a change at the break, with first-year scholar George Brierley making his U21s debut in place of Vetro.

The young Clarets were enjoying much of the ball without creating too many chances of note, with both full-back and winger partnerships working well together.

Farrell turned to his bench for the second time on the hour, replacing Logan Pye with Michael Stanley.

Cardiff almost found an equaliser with just over 20 minutes to play when Cody Twose’s effort took a deflection and looked to be heading for the bottom right corner, but Forshaw scrambled back to gather.

The young Clarets secured the three points soon after Wetshi replaced Ryan, and it was Swansea-born Tweedy who was on target.

A Cardiff defender diverted Ashton’s shot into the six-yard box and Tweedy stayed calm to take a touch and beat the 'keeper from close range.

A second U21s debut of the afternoon saw Albert Blackie replace McDermott in the 77th minute and there was still time for another Burnley goal.

Tweedy pounced on a slack Cardiff pass and Armstrong could only push the ball into the path of Wetshi, who had the simple task of netting his first U21s goal this season.

Burnley: Forshaw, Balogun, Pye (Stanley 60), Campbell, Ashton, Bauress, Vetro (Brierley 46), Tweedy, Ryan (Wetshi 71), McDermott (Blackie 77), Socoliche

Unused Substitutes: Edwards

Cardiff City: Armstrong, Spiers (Phelan 60), Beecher, Gbadehan (Hllaire-Clark 86), Giles, Cook, Fleming, Twose, Nyakuhwa, Perrett (Kaba 60), Trialist (Allmark 86)

Unused Substitutes: Griffiths

Goals: Nyakuhwa 7’, Ryan 31’, McDermott 32’, Tweedy 76’, Wetshi 85’